Theresa May faces court battle over decision to strip "kidnapped extremist" of British citizenship

Theresa May faces court battle over decision to strip 'kidnapped extremist' of British citizenship
Mahdi Hashi, 23, went missing in Somalia and is now on trial in New YorkHis lawyers claim the Home Secretary's order put him at risk

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UPDATED:

22:02 GMT, 29 December 2012

Home Secretary Theresa May is to face a court challenge over her decision to strip a British man of his citizenship just weeks before he was allegedly kidnapped by American forces and put on trial in New York.

Lawyers for Mahdi Hashi, 23, who went missing in Somalia in the summer, are to ask judges to overturn Mrs May’s order which, they say, left him stateless and at the mercy of US secret agents.

His family say he was ‘mistreated’ by US interrogators in an African prison.

The family of Mahdi Hashi, pictured right, say that the order by Theresa May, left, stripping him of his citizenship put him at risk

He is now in custody in America, charged with supporting terrorism, and faces a life sentence.

The court challenge threatens to derail proceedings against Mr Hashi in the US, as he could seek to be returned to the UK on the grounds that his transfer to US custody was outside extradition arrangements between the countries.

The former North London care worker lost contact with his family while staying in Somalia this year.

His parents were told by British officials that they could not help because the Home Secretary had issued an order depriving him of his citizenship.

The family were tipped off that Mr Hashi was being questioned by US agents in Djibouti – but the US Embassy in London denied any knowledge of him. Then on December 21, Mr Hashi appeared in court in Brooklyn accused of working with terrorist group al-Shabaab.

His family say the Home Secretary’s order – made on the grounds of alleged extremism – was part of a conspiracy to kidnap and interrogate their son, as by removing all his rights as a British citizen he would be stateless and defenceless.